The Wedding
by hawkstar2
Summary: It's six years after Maximum Ride 4, The Final Warning, and Fang has proposed to Max.
1. Dresses

BooksMaximum Ridehawkstar2Max's Wedding

Disclaimer! I don't own Maximum Ride or the wonderful characters!! That all belongs to the brilliant James Patterson!!

Chapter One: Dresses

_Six years after MR 4 . . . _

Max POV

"Now, all you have to do is suck it in a little more!" Nudge encouraged me as she tried to zip the last of the inches on my dress where my wings disturbed the zipper a little bit.

"Max!" Angel and Ella both said in a gasp. "You look—_beautiful_!"

I bit down hard on my lower lip. Yes, I was in a dress. Yes, it was by choice. Yes, Fang and I were about to be married.

I could remember the day that it happened. The day that he proposed.

It was a few months ago, while the flock and I were in the mountains again. We ran there, to our old trusty cabin, immediately after we'd taken down the School.

Okay, so I won't go into great detail, but let's just say that Iggy and the Gasman had a lot of fun building the biggest bombs they'd ever made. And it just-so-happens that we happened to be soaring over the School when the bombs happened to drop out of Iggy and Gazzy's pockets and happened to land on the main building of the School.

But, naturally before that we caused a little of a diversion so that all the experiments could escape and—hopefully—not be killed.

Which takes us back to the cabin. After our story kind of got out, we found a note on the cabin door saying something along the lines of "free to bird-kids." But me being the paranoid leader that I am, I had us staked out around the place for a while, just to make sure it wasn't a trap.

And, I guess seeing as how we just got done with the whole dress ordeal, you can guess that it wasn't a trap and we are all alive.

Any-who, I noticed Angel getting a little antsy and smiling hugely after helping clean up from dinner. Iggy was listening to his iPod, supposedly, and smiling, Nudge and Gazzy were drying plates and stacking them, giggling like little schoolgirls.

"What is going on?!" I ended up shouting in frustration.

Angel smiled sweetly up at me, even as a twelve-year-old, she had the baby face that she always had had.

"Nothing Max! Everything's okay!" then she went back to petting Total and Akila.

I huffed and, after looking around the small kitchen, noticed that Fang was nowhere to be seen.

"Where'd Fang go?" I asked. It wasn't like I could help myself. I loved Fang. I loved him _way_ more than a brother. So naturally I'd wonder where he suddenly disappeared to!

"I think he's on the roof again," Total answered me.

"Um, thanks." I said as I walked around Iggy's sprawled out body on the floor to get to the sliding doors to the balcony.

I pulled the ancient, creaky doors back, instantly regretting it because now Fang knew I was here.

With an irritated huff, I snapped out my wings and landed, gracefully I might add, on the roof where, sure enough, there sat Fang, staring out at the stars until his night-dark eyes flittered down on me. We were both twenty by now, and taking every day as a blessing, because we didn't know when or how we were going to die.

"Hey." He said, short sweet, and with that beautiful smile that could light the world. Well, it did _my_ world at least.

"Hey, what're you doing up here?" dumb question, dumb, dumb, dumb.

Fang rubbed his eyes, then threw his arms behind his head and flopped back against the roof, staring up at the sky.

"Just thinking about too much stuff at once. My brain's probably gonna explode." He mused.

We both laughed, then I lay down next to him. I closed my eyes and thought about the last few weeks. Building the bombs, destroying the School, keeping my flock safe.

Then my breath caught in my throat.

I'd barely noticed Fang's swift movement to leaning on his elbow, but I did notice that he was looking at me and _stroking my hair._

He was carefully sweeping my tangled mat of curls away from my face, and then trailing his hand down my forehead, my jaw line, and finally ending at my chin, to which he turned my face towards him.

"Max?"

I could hear confusion, trust, worry, joy, and _love_ coming from his voice.

I kept my eyes shut, dreaming silently to myself, when I was pulled from my dream by the feel of Fang's lips on mine.

My eyes opened for half a second to find out that Fang was now lying next to me, with one hand under my chin and one at the back of my neck, pulling me closer to him.

But he didn't have to worry about that; now that we had the School and every other genetics lab out from under our skin, the world was our backyard. We were _free_. So I carefully put my arms around the back of his neck and held him closer to me. Accepting his kiss with all my soul.

After what seemed like an eternity, I started to get dizzy, and realized that I hadn't taken a breath yet. Fang pulled away and chuckled, but kept his hand at the back of my neck, and pulled me up and into his strong, metal arms.

"So, what now, Max the Invincible?" he asked softly as he ran his hand up and down my arm to keep me warm.

To hell if I know! I wanted to scream. I was just happy that I could now have Fang and not have to worry about any dumb whitecoats or anything ever again.

"Um, take it as it comes?" I guessed, shrugging. It just simply felt good to be in his arms.

"What happened to the Max that always has a plan?" he asked, jokingly.

I looked over the mountains, into the sky, until I found the brightest star, pointing to it, I said, "There, she high-tailed it outta this freaky place and hit the stars!"

I could feel Fang chuckling, his rock-hard chest cradling me.

And boy did it feel great!

We sat there for a while longer, listening to the TV cartoons blaring right below us. The sound of the kids laughing, of Akila barking. Then I heard Fang rustle behind me.

"Am I too heavy?" I asked, which was another stupid question. I weighed what? About a hundred pounds, give or take now that I've gotten taller. But Fang was the strongest and almost tallest of our flock. Iggy still stood over him.

"No, um, Max?"

I could feel his heart accelerate and his hand start to sweat. What was going on?

"Yeah?"

"Well, you said yourself that we were just gonna take life as it came now, right?"

Where was he getting with this?

"Um, yeah, why?"

He shifted under me and took a raggedy breath.

"Um."

"What's wrong Fang?" I was almost losing my patience.

"We're staying together, right?"

"Well, yeah, I mean, the flock has to stick together. We don't know how much longer we may have until we—"

"Would you marry me?"

I froze. I remember my mouth dropping and my breathing stopping. Fang shook me a little.

"Max?!" I vaguely heard his panicked voice.

"Yes, yes of course Fang."

I heard him exhale in a jagged breath, and then he started laughing. Then, gathering me up in his arms, he started crying. Yup, that's right, crying.

"Thank you, Max. I'm sorry I may not have been the most emotion-showing person in the world, but I _love_ you. I really, really do." He said laughing and crying into my shoulder as we sat on the rooftop and held each other.

I smiled. "Me too Fang, me too." Then I, the wonderful, powerful, invincible Maximum Ride, started to cry.


	2. Suits

DISCLAIMER

DISCLAIMER!! I don't own Maximum Ride or it's fabulous characters!! It all is the work of the AMAZING James Patterson!!

Chapter Two: Suits

Fang POV

Gazzy was holding back a laugh I could tell. And I didn't blame him, if I saw him or Iggy in a suit, I'd laugh too. That was all still to come though, they hadn't gotten dressed yet.

"Fang, you look like a penguin!" Gazzy couldn't hold it back any longer and started cackling in his little maniac way. I thought about reaching over and pulling his jacket over his face, but I didn't.

"I think you look great!" Iggy exclaimed with enthusiasm.

I rolled my eyes.

A few months back I had come up to my senses and got over my scared feeling in my gut and asked Max to marry me. Okay, we'd known each other our whole lives. Kissed a few times, hugged a lot, and I thought about her almost all the time. It made me uneasy when we were apart. Like, I had a sure fire feeling that something would happen to one of us and the other wouldn't be there to help. Call me paranoid, I just did.

The night was almost spilled though, what with Angel's mind reading and Nudge's blubber-mouth. I'd been trying not to think about it around her much, but really? Can you blame me for fretting over it a little?

When she first picked up on it about a year ago, I'd made up my mind that after we had the School taken out and "the world saved," I'd do it. It was just a matter then of getting over my gut-wrenching nervous feeling. Since then, Angel hasn't let me forget about it, helping in any way that she can think of.

My mind was cut off memory lane when Jeb walked in.

I know what you're probably thinking: Oh my God! It's Jeb! Run for it!

But no, this time I couldn't run. I was about to do the biggest thing in my entire life, and there was no way I was running from this.

"You look nervous, Fang." Jeb commented as he came over to straighten up my tie, I'd never been too good at those things.

I looked over at him and raised my eyebrows. _No duh I'm nervous! What do you expect?_

Like Max, he seemed to know right away what I meant. He laughed and patted my shoulder.

"Don't worry, you're going to be just fine."

Yeah, that's what you say. And how many other times did you say that and we believed you?

I took a deep breath. Okay, focus, this isn't saving the world, this is having the opportunity to stay with Max _forever_. I nodded.

"Gazzy, Iggy, don't you think you should start to get dressed?" Jeb asked.

The Gasman and Iggy laughed.

"Fine, fine, if you insist." Iggy replied, and they went into the other room to find their tuxes.

After a few moments and more deep breaths, I heard Iggy mutter, "What the hell? How do you even put this thing on?" and laughed despite myself.

With a parting word, Jeb left the room and I was sitting in Dr. Martinez's guest room alone. I looked into the mirror on the dresser and stared for a few moments.

Back to Memory Lane, it seemed. My palms started to get sweaty as my mind fully figured all the things that were about to happen. I was about to head out to Dr. Martinez's back porch, then onto her lawn, where a small wedding was being assembled.

Different images from my reminiscence were flashing through my head. Some as late back as when Jeb lived with us and I remember watching with awe as I saw Max take off, flinging her graceful, powerful wings out into the sun and gliding across the plains. Then, when we had our "first kiss" on the beach, after Ari had kicked my butt. New York City, the cabin in Colorado, the subway, her Voice, Itex, Gozen, Antarctica, Hawaii, all the places that the flock, Max and I had been to together. How many fights and near-death experiences we were in together. We belonged together, this I was sure.

"Fang! Help me _please_!!" I heard Gazzy holler.

Sticking my head into the large guest bathroom, I saw Gazzy's necktie in about five different knots.

"I asked Iggy, but he wouldn't help!"

"That's cause _I'm _trying to figure mine out too!"

I rolled my eyes and went over to straighten Gazzy's necktie as best I could, seeing how he and I were almost at the same level of expertise in this field.

"Okay, we'll be outside! Hurry up!" Gazzy said as he ran out the door.

_"Fang, you'll be okay. Don't worry, Max is just as nervous as you are." _Angel's sweet voice filled my thoughts.

"'Kay, thanks." I said out loud. I heard her giggle.

The black tux I had on was almost as comfortable as a bed of nails. None of us liked to be confined, or in small areas, and this was about as close as that got.

I looked down and noticed my palms sweating and shaking a little. This was really happening. And I was more afraid now than any other time in my life.

"Fang, it's time, Hun." Dr. Martinez knocked on the door. "Max is almost ready herself." I opened the door and she came in.

"You look fabulous, Fang." She appraised me as she came in to talk some more.

"I feel like I'm trapped in a heater."

"It's okay, dear." She brushed what I assumed to be lint or something off my shoulder. "There are plenty of shade trees outside anyways. Are you ready? I'll tell you that I am probably the happiest person in the world right now, well, aside from Max."

"Yeah, and me."

Dr. Martinez smiled and patted my cheek. She mouthed the words "Thank You," and walked out the door.

I took a swig of water and spit, then with one last deep and shaky breath, along with a full-body jitter, I walked out of the bedroom, down the hall, out on the porch, down the aisle that I knew Max would be down soon, and up to stand at the podium next to the Gasman, Iggy, Dr. Martinez, Nudge, Ella, and the pastor from Dr. Martinez's church who agreed to perform the ceremony. Iggy patted me on the back, and I took a deep breath.

_"Fang."_ I heard the Gasman whisper in a huff like he'd run out of breath.

I turned my attention to the base of the porch, where Jeb and Max were beginning to walk down the aisle. Her face was as flushed as ever, her hair was beautiful, and she herself was the most gorgeous thing I'd ever seen.


	3. Rings and Wings

DISCLAIMER

DISCLAIMER!! AGAIN!! I don't own Maximum Ride, or the characters. They belong to the wonderfully talented James Patterson!

Chapter Three: Rings and Wings

Max POV

"Max? Hello in there? Earth to Max! Are you alive?"

Ah, the glory of the Nudge Channel, all Nudge, all the time.

"I'm fine, Nudge, thinking everything over."

"You're not going to be a runaway bride are you?!"

"NO!" Angel and I said the same thing at the same time.

"It's okay, Nudge. She's just nervous and thinking everything over." Mom briefed her for me.

I leaned my head back and stared at the ceiling in Ella's room. Posters of various people, animals, and movies littered it. I took a deep breath and dared to look down at myself. I was at least sitting now. Nudge and Ella had a little trouble zipping my dress over my area in my back where my wings folded in. Finally, with a deep breath in, they got it over.

I sighed and watched the dress' silky-like appearance flow over my legs. Little sequin-like beads covered the bottom in a little diamond sort-of pattern.

"Max, you look really pretty." Ella commented.

I looked over at her and smiled.

Angel started bouncing up and down and turned toward the door.

"Max! Jeb is coming down the hall!"

"Fabulous." I mumbled.

Nudge and Ella bent down carefully to give me a hug and a kiss before dashing out the door.

"Max, I'm going out, dear. I'll see you soon. Don't worry, you're going to do great. I love you." Mom gave me a hug and kissed my cheek before walking out the door herself.

It was just Angel and me now. She took my hand and pulled me off of Ella's bed.

"C'mon, Max, you're going to be okay. I know it!"

_What can you see the future too?_ "Thanks, Honey."

She daintily hugged my waist and trotted to the door, where she stopped and lead Jeb away from the door to his proper place at the beginning of the aisle, which I saw almost perfectly out my window. He didn't want to wait at the bottom of the stairs, so he stood at the top.

Oh, I guess you're thinking, "Holy Cow! You let Jeb come?!" Yeah, I did. He helped us take down the School once and for all. (Wait, you mean I didn't say anything? I'm sorry, classified information! But trust me, he's okay.)

I bent down and pulled my dress up a little to check my shoes. The heels that Nudge and Ella picked out were death-traps, so Mom allowed me to change to a lower, two inch heel, but since I've _never_ worn heels, I probably had about as much balance as a seal would in these shoes.

My hands were shaking, and I knew everyone would notice because of the bouquet moving. I looked in the mirror and straightened up the necklace my mom gave me. It was a silver chain with a charm of a diamond-studded wing. Suitable, huh?

The small gold band that is my engagement ring sat like a trophy on my left ring finger. I wiggled it and watched the gold shimmer. My heart started fluttering like a bird. And I couldn't help smiling.

I took a big, deep breath and walked out of the room, through the living and dining rooms, and to the glass doors that led to the back porch. I slid the door open without a sound and stepped out onto the porch. My stomach was doing 360 flips as I saw the whole flock, plus Total and Akila, Mom, Ella, the pastor, and Fang, standing at the front of the gazebo. Yeah, that probably wasn't traditional, but not much was about us.

I turned to shut the door behind me and, bouquet in hand; I walked to Jeb, who held out his arm.

"Are you ready, Maximum Ride?" he asked, smiling.

I smiled back; I was almost an inch taller than him right now. Cautiously, he led me down the steps and to the stepping-stones that led to the gazebo.

_Don't trip. Don't trip. Don't trip. Don't trip. Don't trip._

_"Max, it's okay, you won't trip." _Angel's voice came into my head and I smiled and proceeded forward with Jeb.

Facing forward with determination, I walked toward my family. I saw Gazzy tap Fang and whisper something, his eyes wide.

Fang turned to look at me and gave me one of the smiles that years ago I would've taken for granted, but now seemed plentiful. His eyes were shinning as he watched me approach him.

We entered the gazebo and I saw Total crying a little, as was Mom.

Jeb let go of my arm and went to stand next to Mom as I stepped in front of Fang, who took my hands in his.

My hands were soft and small, compared to his rough and calloused ones. His long black hair was brushed as best as it could be out of his face and his dark eyes were more pleasant than I have ever seen them.

The pastor looked at us and smiled.

"We are gathered here today on the sixth of July, to witness the connecting of Fang and Maximum in holy matrimony…"

That was all I heard most of the time that I stood there. It seemed mechanical when I repeated the vows after the pastor. The pastor paused and looked over at Fang, who suddenly started to speak.

"Max, with everything that we've been through, and everything that we've both witnessed, I am so thankful that all of us made it through alive."

Mr. No-Show-Emotions was now turning into a freaking poet on me.

"I'm even more grateful for this right now." He was almost whispering to me now, I doubted that Ella could hear much now, but Mom and Jeb were pretty close. And the flock of course had some great hearing.

"You were always there for me, and anyone for that matter. You're kind, smart, funny, and headstrong. And I can't love you enough for that." His voice was merely a whisper by now, and was almost drowned out by my sniffling and the rest of the flocks'.

Okay, now I was in for it. I hated talking about my emotions, and everyone knew that. And I didn't know how well I could put everything out into words right now anyways. But I swallowed hard and wiped the last tear off my cheek and looked up at Fang.

Fang, we knew everything about each other. We knew what the other was planning to do sometimes before they even knew. We'd spent countless nights sleeping in caves, and eating scavenged food. We were there for each other. We always would be.

I knew I couldn't make a big speech.

"I'm thankful for everything that's led to this. And I don't know what I could've done without you this whole time. I love you." And there you have it. Not as fancy and memorable as Fang's, but it worked.

Fang smiled down at me, another one of the smiles that I would've taken for granted before, was as plentiful as air.

Gazzy walked forward and stood before us with a pillow with two rings on it. I looked down, suddenly nervous all over again.

Fang reached out and took my ring, _my_ ring, in his hands and slid it on the third finger of my left hand. It was beautiful. A pearl set in the middle with three tiny diamonds on each side. Six diamonds for the six bird kids. I took his off the cushion and slid it onto his as well.

I spaced out again while the pastor nodded back and forth between us both.

Some time later, I had no idea how long; Fang squeezed my hands and looked me dead in my eyes.

"I do." He said, more to me than the pastor.

"And do you, Maximum Ride, take Fang to be your lawful wedded husband, through rich and through poor, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

I could've said, Well, heck! We've already been through all of that! But I have a higher maturity level than that.

Well, hell yeah _I do_!

"I do." I said boldly, despite all the things I could've said. Fang smiled, the flock cried, Mom, Ella and Jeb cried. Then I started to cry, again. I'd cried more today in front of people than I have in a very long time.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Even with the heels, I stood slightly on my tiptoes, and Fang leaned down to kiss me and seal it all.

We broke apart after a moment, and I flung my arms around his neck; this time, I didn't want to fly away.

…**A/N: Thank you all **_**so,**__**so**_** much for all the support and reviews that I got for this fan fiction! It's my first story ever and I never expected to have this quick of an outcome!! I hope you all enjoyed it and I will be thinking of something else soon! School is about to start up again, so I will try and work around that! Again thank you so much!!**


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